In line with its 2026-2030 Strategy, the Peacemakers Network is continuing the religion and peace mediation course training specifically for youth! Together with the Sultanate of Oman, this course offers the unique opportunity to bring together 20 young people and expert trainers to strengthen the role that youth play as mediators within their communities through engaging the cohort in critical peace mediation approaches, skills, and tactics that they can utilize within the conflicts they are addressing.

The course will be conducted in three parts and equip youth mediators and peacebuilding practitioners with the knowledge and tools to analyze violent conflicts with religious dimensions through an inclusive and intersectional lens, as well as to build upon their mediation skills in order to bolster their efforts within diverse communities and contexts. The three parts will include:

1.) The Oman Harmonious Conenction Program
Youth who are keen to immerse themselves in a transformative cultural experience are inted to joing the Oman Harmonious Connection Program, “Ulfah“. Ulfah derives from the Arabic word signifying “Harmonious Connection”, and is an extension of the Oman’s Message of Peace project under the supervision of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs. The course is delivered in five days. Each day is a new adventure, dedicated to unraveling the unque essence of each city, understanding its cultural nuances, and engaging with its local populace.

2.) Youth, Religion and Mediation Course
The participants of the Harmonious Connection Program will join the Youth, Religion and Medication Course (YRMC) organized by the Peacemakers Network. The YRMC is an initiative aimed at empowering young mediators of faith with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to address conflicts with religious dimenstions and to strengthen peace mediation efforts in their communities. This capacity-strengthening program recognizes the significant role religion plays in both conflict dynamics and peace proceses that emphasizes the need for inclusive mediation approaches that acknowledge faith actors as key stakeholders.

3.) Muscat Plan of Action Forum and International Day of Tolerance
Lastly, participants will have an opportunity to join the International Day of Tolerance on the Muscat Plan of Action for Traditional and Indigenous Leaders and Peoples in Countering and Addressing Hate Speech and Preventing Genocide and Atrocity Crimes and their Incitement through Peace Mediation, launched by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres on June 11, 2026. The Plan of Action is an outcome of a multi-stakeholder process led by the Sultante of Oman, the UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, and the Peacemakers Network. The forum will bring together traditional and Indigenous Leaders and Peoples, religious leaders, Member States, UN entities, and peacebuilding practitioners to explore practical approaches for implementing the Muscat Plan of Action.